Tips from ODSW June 2017: Stay Safe in Social Work

How To
Keep Yourself Safe in
Social Work
Assess the Potential Risks Posed by Clients
- Look through all past assessments
- Liaise with relevant agencies to draw up a risk assessment
Some risk factors to look out for include:
Domestic violence Anger management issues
High frustration levels Diagnosed personality disorders
Use of drugs or alcohol A lack of respect for authority
Poor impulse control Client feels that he/she
has ‘nothing to lose’
A known owner or user of
weapons
A criminal record
for violent acts
Plan your Visits and Meetings in Advance
Not having sufficient time to prepare for meetings with clients may put
practitioners at risk. Go through this checklist prior to meeting your clients.
Where possible, schedule
visits in advance (although
unannounced visits are
necessary to assess homes
in a natural manner) Use your risk assessment to
determine if it is safe to visit
alone or to visit with a
colleague
Gather information from
colleagues or partner
agencies
about
other
people in the home who
may pose a risk Familiarise
yourself
with
triggers/risk factors to avoid
that may raise the level of
threat (e.g. client is under the
influence)
Have a look around the area
before entering the home or
meeting room to plan your
escape route and to avoid
dead ends Arrange for a colleague to
call if you are not back at
the expected time
Inform your colleagues of
your place of visit. Make it a
habit to indicate the location
and expected duration of the
visit on your office board or
electronic calendar that can
be accessed by colleagues. Use a code word with your
colleagues to indicate when
you are in danger. It will come
in handy when you make a
phone call to alert them of the
situation.
Stay Vigilant During Visits and Meetings
Some things to take note of during your visits and meetings:
Where possible,
position yourself near
the exit. Try not to
have anyone else
between you and the
exit route.
Do not allow
the house or
meeting room
door to be
locked
Have your mobile
phone on you at all
times and your
local police hotline
on speed dial
Stay out of kitchens and
bedrooms if possible.
Kitchens have the most
dangerous objects in the
home and bedrooms are
most commonly used to hide
weapons and contraband.
Trust your gut
instinct. If anything
seems unusual or
out of the ordinary,
make your excuse
and leave.
If the client has a criminal
peer network, be cautious of
new figures who are present
at the meetings. If the new
person makes you feel
uncomfortable, you could
consider calling the meeting
to an end.
Remember Three Basic Steps to Staying Safe:
1 2 3
Risk assess
your clients Plan visits and
meetings ahead Stay alert!
Adapted with Permission from: Social Work Tutor - How To Keep Yourself Safe In Social Work
https://socialworktutor.com/how-to-keep-safe-in-social-work/
Created by Office of the Director of Social Welfare | 2017